By Mawlānā Muḥammad Sālim Qāsimī (Rector of Dār al-ʿUlūm Deoband, Waqf)

[This piece was written in Urdu by the late scholar Mawlānā Muḥammad Sālim Qāsimī, son of Ḥakīm al-Islām Qāri Ṭayyib Qāsimī. I came across it while working on educational projects for start-up integrated Islamic classical schools. I prepared the translation to help curriculum developers understand the principles involved in reforming a classical curriculum. Although I translated the article into English, I did not complete a full edit, and it remained on my computer for several years. It still requires careful editing and comparison with the original Urdu. Even so, I believe the substance warrants circulation, and I therefore share this draft in the hope that others may benefit from it.]

The continuity of a religion, faith, or ideology is fundamentally reliant upon its educational transmission (taʿlīm). Curriculum development (tashkīl-i niṣāb) is the deliberate selection of essential knowledge from the expansive intellectual landscape aimed at preserving the core principles and ensuring the transmission of diverse, yet integral, dimensions of that knowledge, akin to the selection of specific, appropriate flowers from a boundless garden to preserve the essence and fragrance of the various vibrant blooms within.

In other words, “knowledge” is a dynamic reality, continually evolving through processes of facilitation (tashīl) and expansion (tawsīʿ). Given that the progression of human thought is intrinsically linked to this developmental trajectory (irtiqāʾ) of knowledge, the significance of curriculum development becomes exceptionally pronounced. In traditional educational systems, the mechanism that enables this facilitation and expansion is termed the “curriculum”. Accordingly, a well-developed curriculum is to be evaluated based on its capacity to nurture and enhance this progression, while stagnation or inadequacy will indicate a fundamental deficiency.

This approach to curriculum development grants a foundational principle: The demands of time or particular needs may sometimes necessitate the prioritization of specific fields of knowledge. While such prioritization must be addressed, it must be approached in a manner that does not obstruct the facilitation (tashīl) and expansive development (tawsīʿ) of other, less prioritized fields. As temporal and situational needs evolve, today’s priority may become a less significant area of study in the future.

The value of a curriculum lies not in its rigid adherence to favored or less favored fields of study, but rather in its capacity to awaken the potential for knowledge facilitation (tashīl) and expansion (tawsīʿ). This process forms the foundation of intellectual development, which is, in turn, the key to the advancement of nations.

In the Indian subcontinent, despite passing through various phases, the curriculum of religious schools has consistently upheld the overarching objective of facilitating and expanding knowledge. Consequently, in response to the diverse facets and needs of life, contributions to the auxiliary, or instrumental, sciences, meaning those connected to the higher objectives of the Qur’an and Sunnah, have gradually continued. From the blessed era of Shaykh Aḥmad Sirhindī (Mujaddid al-Alf al-Thānī) to the distinguished period of Mawlānā Muḥammad Qāsim Nanotwī (founder of Dar al-ʿUlūm Deoband), the scholarly works of various Islamic schools of thought in the subcontinent on the auxiliary sciences, spanning intellectual, research-based, mystical, civilizational, cultural, societal, economic, literary, and rational sciences, reflect these efforts of facilitation and expansion in alignment with the Qur’an and Sunnah.

This gradual intellectual advancement has preserved the lofty purpose and grandeur of the Qur’an and Sunnah while addressing the educational needs of the auxiliary sciences through carefully crafted texts. This comprehensive curriculum, known as the “dars-i niẓāmī“, gained exemplary recognition among religious and scholarly circles in the Indian subcontinent. The historical significance of this dars-i niẓāmī curriculum lies in the fact that, from its inception, it rapidly garnered widespread acceptance, owing to the rapid advancements in communication and transportation during that period. However, this widespread acceptance eventually contributed to a stagnation of intellectual thought. The high regard afforded to the curriculum for its early success became, over time, a hindrance to the continued facilitation and expansion of knowledge, which then weakened the process of intellectual growth. What initially served as a means for intellectual advancement ultimately became an obstacle to further progress.

Although the Arabic language was given significant importance within the curriculum, to the extent that the reasoning and deductive skills derived from its study consistently provided intellectually rigorous solutions to contemporary issues, earning the recognition of even native Arab scholars, its role as an essential linguistic tool has steadily declined. In the present day, when scholars emphasize its importance with arguments and reasoning, it is often dismissed as unnecessary or irrelevant.

In light of the prevailing disregard for Arabic, it is unsurprising that other vibrant and globally significant languages are not deemed worthy of consideration within these scholarly circles. This is particularly relevant in the present era, where English has emerged as a primary medium of international communication between the Muslim community and other nations. Despite its global importance, English was unfortunately introduced to the subcontinent by British colonialists, who not only stripped Muslims of their political power but also sought to eradicate Islam from the region. This historical enmity toward the British prevented Muslims from recognizing the significance of English as a global language and from employing it as a tool for international communication. Consequently, knowledge became bifurcated into two distinct realms: ”old” and “new”, in a manner that was neither Islamic nor reflective of reality. Over time, this division, despite the shared belief in Allah, His Messenger, religion, and the qiblah, led to the fragmentation of the Muslim community into two distant and disconnected factions.

Conversely, the newly emerged progressive class, in its own form of extremism, did not lag behind the conservationist class in opposing the established order. This group embraced an ideology of progress and modernity, effectively dismissing the profound potential of the Qur’an and Sunnah to address life’s complexities. Such a rejection overlooked the transformative power these texts historically wielded, bringing about a revolution unparalleled in the annals of human history. Within a span of fifty years, this revolution profoundly altered the lives of nations with diverse religious beliefs, lifestyles, and cultural traditions, a feat unmatched by any other historical movement, whether before or after Islam.

At this juncture, it is crucial to highlight that this “religion”, which transcends geographical boundaries and addresses the conscious human world irrespective of race, culture, civilization, economy, climate, or other distinctions, cannot be confined to legal schools of thought shaped by human reasoning. These legal frameworks and schools, often influenced by human intellect, as well as spiritual traditions rooted in personal spiritual experience, are not capable of universal acceptance or emphasis. Human intellect, being a shared faculty across humanity, varies in its capacity and comprehension, and human nature does not readily accept the supremacy of one intellect over another. As a result, legal schools, ideological approaches, and mystical traditions have been sources of contention since their inception.

Therefore, while these three domains can be offered as individual options, there is no valid basis for elevating them to the level of public dissemination. The assignment of a missionary status to these areas has historically contributed to divisions within the umma. Only the religion revealed by Allah through His prophets is truly deserving of being propagated, as it remains untainted by the influence of human reasoning and deduction. Although this divine religion does not conflict with the intellect in its general aspects, certain of its higher and foundational principles may indeed surpass the capacity of human intellect. 

From this, a key principle for developing a religious curriculum becomes evident: the students’ education and intellectual development must be grounded in the understanding that only divinely revealed religion is free from the admixture of human intellect and reasoning, and it alone carries primary and missionary significance. Jurisprudential schools and mystical spiritual traditions, which are the products of human reasoning, should be introduced solely for interpretive purposes when necessary. They should never be accorded missionary status, and students must be educated to approach diverse religious, philosophical, and mystical schools with broad-mindedness and tolerance. To equate these schools with religion and propagate them as such would not only be theologically incorrect but also logically flawed, as it would become a significant source of disunity within the ummah.

Thus, distinguishing between what should be prioritized and what should be preached becomes a critical aspect of education and must be regarded as an essential component of curriculum development. The current dars-i niẓāmī consists largely of texts that, due to their comprehensiveness and brevity, require exceptional effort to master. The outcomes of this rigorous effort are evident: historically, this curriculum has fostered the reasoning and deductive skills essential for understanding the intricacies of the Qur’an and Sunnah, as well as for addressing contemporary issues.

Today, however, neither teachers nor students possess the endurance to engage in the rigorous effort required to decipher these texts. The intellectual depth necessary to fully grasp their meanings is also often lacking. As a result, these complex texts remain unaddressed from the perspective of facilitation, and any attempt to simplify them is viewed as undermining their perceived utility. Even when these texts are translated and explained in Urdu, such efforts cannot be considered true facilitation or expansion. Moreover, some of the technical texts within the curriculum have lost their relevance, either due to a lack of sustained intellectual engagement or because they are no longer essential in the current context. Consequently, the rate of intellectual decline is accelerating, and a diminishing intellectual capacity is making it progressively more challenging to provide religious solutions to the ever-evolving and diverse issues of contemporary life.

For these reasons, despite the broad utility of the dars-i niẓāmī, it remains in need of reform. Such reform can only be undertaken by those who recognize that the advancement of knowledge depends on facilitation and expansion, and that their absence results in intellectual stagnation. Reformers must possess the discernment to distinguish between constructive criticism and denigration, and they should prioritize the expansion and facilitation of knowledge to promote meaningful and constructive change.

1. In religious schools (madāris), though few in number, there remain some passionate and enthusiastic students who, despite being a minority, demonstrate profound intellectual capacity, a refined appreciation for knowledge, and a strong commitment to their studies. For these students, the curriculum of the auxiliary sciences (ʿulūm āliyah) should be maintained with only minor adjustments to reflect contemporary needs. This approach will ensure that, as has been the case for the past 150 years, the ummah will continue to produce highly knowledgeable and broad-minded teachers, jurists, hadith scholars, interpreters of the Qur’an, and writers, even if in limited numbers.

2. A much larger group of students in religious schools consists of those who neither exhibit a significant inclination toward religious studies nor possess a strong desire to pursue them. These students typically do not enroll in madāris of their own accord. Rather, they are sent by their guardians to preserve family traditions. Given their lack of interest and motivation, this cohort is generally unable to attain notable religious positions after graduation, nor do they develop the necessary skills for such roles. For this group, a four-year curriculum focusing on selected essential religious sciences is necessary. Such a curriculum would not only fulfill the expectations of their guardians, ensuring their children’s connection with religious knowledge and institutions, but also provide students with an early opportunity to explore their natural inclinations and develop skills in other fields after completing this foundational religious education.

3. A third and rather large group comprises students who, unlike the first group, do not possess a deep passion for knowledge and, unlike the second group, are not compelled by the pressure of preserving family traditions. For them, the primary goal is to maintain an association with a religious institution or scholars, with the sole objective of securing a minimal affiliation with a reputable institution to avoid being perceived as ignorant within their community. For this group, a curriculum in Urdu covering the fundamental aspects of religion needs to be developed. This would ensure that they can observe the basic principles of the faith in their daily lives and professions, which aligns with their aspirations.

Religious schools should issue distinct certificates for these three groups of students, reflecting their varying academic standards and abilities. This approach would help preserve the utility of the existing curriculum while also establishing necessary distinctions between different levels of achievement. The absence of such distinctions has contributed to regrettable situations in religious circles.

Due to time constraints, I have shared these reflections on the dars-i niẓāmī in a hastily written and rather unpolished form. 

Poem:

These are but a few reflections offered without pretense or formality. 

If they are accepted, it would be a great honor and privilege for me.